Manchester United full-back Patrice Evra is battling to keep his place. Here M.E.N. Sport looks at his prospects of keeping the new signings at bay ...

French international Patrice Evra faces the biggest fight of his United career – and he cannot say he wasn’t warned.

The 31-year-old’s alarming early-season form has only intensified the pressure on him to hold on to the position he has made his own over the last six years.

And with new arrival Alex Buttner breathing down his neck, he is facing a fight to convince Sir Alex Ferguson that he is still one of his most trusted ‘soldiers’.

That’s how Ferguson described the left-back when referring to his contribution at Old Trafford since his £5.5m move from Monaco in January 2006.

Evra established himself as arguably the finest in Europe in his position – ahead of even Ashley Cole.

But his manager’s praise – coming after the signing of Buttner from Vitesse Arnhem – was also laced with a word of caution.

"We have to protect the future," he said. "That is sensible. Evra is 31 and Alex comes to challenge that position. But nobody has played more games than Evra over the last five years. He has played with injuries – he has guts.

"He has been up and down that touchline for five years. It’s 240 games he has played. Patrice has been an absolute soldier."

The message was clear – for the first time since Evra ushered Gabriel Heinze out of the door, he was now facing competition for his own position.

There had been concerns among United fans for 12 months that his once imperious powers were on the wane even before his difficult start to this campaign.

He endured one of his most disappointing seasons last term and lost his place in the French team during the European Championships.

Ferguson’s summer pursuit of Leighton Baines confirmed his own concerns, eventually turning to Buttner after baulking at Everton’s valuation.

It was clear that Ferguson, too, believed time was catching up with Evra, even if Buttner was expected to be one for the future.

Instead, the 23-year-old has emerged as a clear and present danger to his veteran team-mate. Ferguson has been alarmed by United’s early-season defensive frailties, conceding five goals in their opening three games.

They suffered a shock defeat to Everton in their opening match and then almost threw away three points against Fulham, eventually holding out for a 3-2 win.

And it took a Robin van Persie hat-trick to spare their blushes against Southampton last weekend when they were five minutes away from a second defeat of the season.

Evra was at fault for what looked like being the crucial goal, slipping in the build-up to Morgan Schneiderlin’s strike.

He was as grateful as anyone for Van Persie’s late double that secured another 3-2 win for United.

But it still didn’t disguise the failings in Ferguson’s defence, with form one of his major concerns.

The Frenchman has been one of his most consistent performers, winning four titles and the Champions League in his time at the club.

But that has only served to emphasise his current loss of form. He may have already found himself on the sidelines had Ferguson landed Baines.

The England international would have provided an immediate threat to Evra’s position as a proven performer in the Premier League.

Buttner, who can play either side of the defence, is expected to take time to settle into the English game having arrived from Holland, but could find himself thrown in sooner than planned.

Evra is currently on international duty with France where he faces competition from City’s Gael Clichy, although he started on Friday night against Finland.

And that battle could serve as a useful warm-up for the fight he has on his hands when he returns to Manchester next week.